Lakers' center Andrew Bynum is reportedly looking bigger and stronger than ever, and, more importantly, is showing no ill effects from the knee injury which ended his season in January of this year, according to a report by Marty Burns of Sports Illustrated.

"He looks to be in great shape. He looks ready to go," Kupchak said in a phone interview Thursday. "There's no reason to believe he won't be 100 percent for training camp."

Alhough Bynum did not play five-on-five basketball during a two-day visit by Lakers' GM Mitch Kupchak, Kupchak said he watched the 7-foot, 280-pounder go through a strenuous workout that included running, jumping, and various agility drills.

"That's the reason I went there," Kupchak said. "I wanted to see him run unencumbered, go through agility drills, jumping drills, the things players do... You hope they don't limp or favor a leg. He did not. That was number one."

"On top of that, I was impressed by what he did with his body to get in shape and get stronger. It was obvious to me he had been in the weight room."

The Los Angeles Lakers have signed guard Joe Crawford, announced today. Per team policy, terms of the agreement were not released.

Selected by the Lakers with the 58th pick in the 2008 NBA Draft, Crawford, a 22 year-old native of Detroit, Michigan, played four seasons at the University of Kentucky, averaging 11.3 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in 127 games (76 starts).

Lakers' Coach Phil Jackson has credited Madonna for helping the former NBA rebounding king Dennis Rodman come out of his shell, according to Orange County Register.

Jackson claims that before Rodman met the singer he had a "shy" personality.

"Madonna saw what was in there and wanted him . . . to do what she does: be outrageous and kind of talked him into opening up his character," Jackson said. "And Dennis didn?t know how many ways he could open up his character."

The United States may have taken home the gold, but the Spaniards did not simply hand the hardware across to the Redeem Team like most expected.

The United States survived their tightest encounter of the Olympic tournament in the gold medal game, never really shaking a determined Spain team despite not having Raptors' point guard Jose Calderon on the floor.

The Americans had to put on a shooting clinic, finishing the game 13 of 28 (46%) from three-point range and an amazing 71% (13/28) from inside the arc, which in the end proved to be pivotal with Team USA winning the game by only 11 points, 118-107, but the margin was much closer than this for the majority of the game.

Dwyane Wade led the way with 27 points in the game, most of them coming in the first half while Kobe Bryant had 20 to go with 6 assists.

Bryant was particularly excellent in the 4th quarter when the game was tight, including a four-point play that sent Rudy Fernandez to the bench with his fifth and final foul.

For Spain, Juan Carlos Navarro (18 points) was effective, connecting on an array of teardrops inside the key to keep Spain close when the pressure was on while Pau Gasol (21 points, 6 rebounds) and Fernandez (22 points) were again are the forefront for the Spanish.

Spain trailed by only four points, 108-104, with 2:28 remaining in the game, giving the Americans their first real challenge in the fourth quarter of the Olympics.

The University of North Dakota is bestowing Phil Jackson with an honorary doctorate.

A 1967 graduate of UND, with emphasis in religion, philosophy and psychology, Jackson will receive his doctorate from the school's College of Arts and Sciences.

"It's an honor to receive this doctorate,'' Jackson said, in a prepared statement. "We have put this on hold for a few years and this year works out just right. UND had hoped it would be at a commencement, but a convocation for orientation seems like the right thing.'